Ben Kuzma: Baertschi makes an impact after battling back from concussion

LOS ANGELES — Being one of your team’s best players in a bad game doesn’t mean much, unless you’re Sven Baertschi.

After missing nine National Hockey League games and 22 days with a concussion after a questionable and non-penalized Feb. 7 hit from Nashville Predators’ enforcer Cody McLeod, the Vancouver Canucks’ left-winger looked fresh, fast and had an assist in a 3-1 loss to the Sharks on Thursday in San Jose.

His chemistry with linemate Bo Horvat was instant, he was aggressive on the forecheck and he didn’t hesitate to get to the tough areas where he had to absorb blows for scoring chances.

“He was good right from the first shift and right throughout the game,” said Canucks coach Willie Desjardins.

Added Horvat: “I thought he played great for being off the ice that long. He was the first guy on the forecheck and was moving his feet and making plays. He didn’t look out of place at all and the chemistry is going to keep building.”

The NHL’s mandated seven-day concussion protocol was much longer for Baertschi because of the neck and pain he endured from the hit and the accompanying whiplash.

Aside from customary gym workouts to elevate his heart rate to be clear of symptoms — including dizziness — he had to address the mental challenge of not turning into a perimeter player. Especially after multiple concussions. Players can become more susceptible and take longer to recover after multiple blows or whiplash.

Baertschi had a concussion with the AHL Abbotsford Heat in December, 2012 when he was sent crashing into the boards. And he had another nearly a year earlier in the world junior championship.

“It’s not easy coming back out,” admitted Baertschi. “The last time that (concussion) happened it was in the AHL and I came back kind of cautious. I didn’t want to go too hard and get hurt again. But back then, it felt more dangerous to be out there.

“I just have to go out there and do the same things, dig around the net front and that’s a key for me.”

Still, the pain and angst would have been easier to endure if McLeod had at least been penalized on the play. The Canucks were quick to state Baertschi had a concussion when he left the game — not the customary “upper-body injury” statement — in the hopes that it may have sparked supplementary discipline.

Was it worth a suspension?

“It could have been,” said Baertschi. “It’s one of those tough situations because the puck wasn’t anywhere near us and we’re both trying to go the same way and kind of bumped into each other. Things like that happen. There’s nothing you can really do about it.

“I don’t think he did it on purpose or meant to hurt me or whatever. We were criss-crossing and he comes right ahead of me and I’m kind of low and I ran right into his elbow. Obviously that didn’t feel good.”

Baertschi went directly to the bench, kept shaking his head and wanted to keep playing.

“I kind of knew something wasn’t right and I didn’t want to believe it,” he added. “I thought I would try a shift because I was feeling a little bit better, but things were moving too fast and I didn’t want to get hurt even worse. We pulled the plug and they brought me back to the room and looked at it.

“I was having some foggy vision and was just dizzy and had balance problems. I had the full thing, but the main problem was my neck. That just needed some work because it (pain) started there and went right up to the head.”

Which, of course, makes you wonder about a side of the game that people take for granted but few understand.

The physical nature of hockey has an audience appeal and it’s a staple for any team with championship aspirations. Speed is the true killer in today’s game, but an intimidating hit can be just as much of a deterrent to curb skilled players.

And if you think players can forget about a concussion — or the possibility of multiple concussions affecting or ending careers — think again.

“I couldn’t really do much after this last one,” said Baertschi. “I missed less games because of the bye week and that was the only good part.”

At 24, Baertschi is part of the emerging next core. He knows what it means to have an organization show faith by not only trading for you, but showing patience until your complete game came around. Baertschi struggled last season, but a strong second half propelled him to a career-high 15 goals and he’s just two short of that mark this season.

“When you’re a young guy and they believe in you and you have a core to support you like Hank and Danny (Sedin), they’re a great example,” stressed Baertschi. “With them it’s because of the culture and it never changes for them.”

OF NOTE: The Canucks signed forward Zack MacEwen to a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday. GM Jim Benning described the 6-4, 212-pound forward of the Gatineau Olympiques as a “physical two-way forward who plays in the tough areas and competes with a high intensity every night.” MacEwen has 27 goals, 62 points and 81 penalty minutes this season with his QMJHL club. His 12 power-play goals and 222 shots on net leads the team.

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